Drawer or tray front



June 13, 1944. M, Bl HALL 2,351,260

DRAWER OR TRAY FRONT Filed Oct. 12, 1942 Patentecl June 13, 1944 DRAWER. on TRAY FRONT Marchand B. Hall, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Acme Visible Records, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application october 12, 194.2, serial No. 451,774 f (ci. io-s) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved label holder and the combination thereof in a unitary device with a drawer pull, and tothe combination of said unitary device with the frontof a drawer or tray.

Although my novel drawer pull is useful in connection with drawers of any nature, and the combination therewith of the label holder is particularly useful in connection with filing drawers of any nature, my invention is particularly adapted for use in combination with visible index record trays. These trays are relatively shallow and are adapted to carry a, plurality of record cards or card holders in hinged overlapping relationship, or one line or multiple line index strips, a plurality of trays being slidably arranged and supported one above another in a cabinet. 'I'hese trays are conventionally adapted to be drawn outwardly and extended downwardly over the face of the lower trays, and these cabinets are likewise often provided with doors which are adapted to be closed 'down over the front of the cabinet.

In cabinets of the foregoing class which conventionally employ label holding means on the fronts of the trays, suitable handles are required for withdrawing the trays which will not interfere with the withdrawal of adjacent trays and which will not damage or be damaged by the manipulation and downward extension of the trays or closure door. Conservation of space, employment of trays of maximum length and compactness of arrangement are also factors of importance in tray construction and particularly the construction of the tray fronts. The tray handles or pulls and the label holders must therefore be constructed and arranged with the foregoing in view.

In general my invention comprises the provision of a recess in the face of a drawer front, or more particularly in the front of a tray of the class hereinbefore described, and the mounting and seating within the recess of a unitary label holder and drawer pull, the entire unit being compact and wholly contained within the recess in a manner whereby the trays may be readily manipulated without interfering with or being interfered with by the label holder or drawer pull, the label holder being adapted to present a supported label in full and clear viewY at all times.

Other objects relate to details of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following illustrate avisible index record cabinet and tray to which my invention is particularly adapted, although it will be understood that my inventionand the detailsV thereof may be employed with drawers and trays of Aother nature and use. The drawing specifically illustrates the adaptation of my invention to the drawer or tray fronts of a tray cabinet, such as that shown in copending application Seriall No. 461,775, which may be formed substantially wholly of Wood.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a visible index' tray cabinet the trays'thereo'f embodying my invention. I'

Fig. 2 is a 'fragmentary planview of a drawer or tray illustrating the front of the tray wherein my invention is embodied.

Fig; B'is a front elevation of the tray shown in Fig. 2. f'

Fig. 4 is la sectionon the line 4-'4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one form of myv unitary label holder and drawer pull.

Fig. 6 is a 'modified form of construction of my unitary labe1 holder and drawer pull.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral ID indicates a visible index record tray cabinet wherein are slidably mounted and nested a plurality of trays generally indicated at II and a front closure door I2, the tray cabinet illustrated in Fig. 1 being more'specically shown, described and claimed in the aforesaid co-pending application.

These trays II are of relatively shallow depth comprising the bottom I3, side walls I4, front wall I5 and a rear wall, not shown. Although not necessarily restricted thereto the front wall portion I5, is preferably formed Vofwood and if desired may be of curvilinear `contour in both a longitudinal and a transverse direction. It will,

of course, be, understood the invention is equally applicable to the use of a drawer or tray4 front having a straight front face, orY other contour.

adapted tobe mounted in avertically extendingk posltionrwith the leg .I1 extending downwardly specificati@ and drawing which describe and and inclined forwardly. The longitudinal defining edges I8 and I9 of the unitary device are return bent to provide flanges for the engagement and reception of a label indicated at 20 and which may include the transparent protective window 2l.

As illustrated in the drawing these flanges I8 and I9 do not extend in a plane parallel to the surface of the embraced or retained label, as is conventional, but rather these flanges 'are inturned and preferably of semi-circular form in cross-section so that the ends of the flanges terminate perpendicularly lto a common plane, or to the surface of the embraced label. Such arrangement and construction of the flanges .is highly advantageous in theV prevention ofthe engagement and breaking of finger nails of the user. the label 20 and protective member 2 I, the flanges I8 and I9 at one of their side edges may be partially cut away inwardly and angularly so as to expose a portionfof the legs I6 and ,-;II,:andrt1here with form aconvenientzentranceopening.

Although in Fig. f I illustrate the `unitary label holder and drawer pull wherein fthe :body .of .the strip is divided Yinto two 'legs of -substantiallyequal length by means .of the-intermediate angular bend 22, the .unit .may 4for lsome purposes :and particularly for the'manner of .mounting it hereinafter setV forth be used in .substantially vplanar form, although with lesser effect and benefit. .Likewise instead of the angular formation illustrated in Fig. 5, the .body of fthe whole vbetween the -,flanges I8 and I9 maybe arcuate in cross-section -or otherwise 'de-.formed vto present a foresh'ortened transverseV section, the :foreshortened :transverse section being preferredfor" the reasonthat it permitsthe ymounting lcf the -unit bywmeans of a rounded head screw 23. The use of a round head screw illustrated .which can be used when the label is not required 'to :lie closely and parallel with the bodyof the label holder is preferable in that it does not require thecountersinking of the mounting surface as would be `required with the use of. a flat head screw, Vand at the same time ypermits a vmore `secure arrangement and better lembracing eng-agementI between a re1- atively larger under-surface area -of the screw andthe body of the unit.

As an illustration of a modified form Vof the label holder and drawer pull construction, Fig. 6 shows a unit similar in all respects .to that illustrated in Fig. 5 with the exception that the downwardly and forwardly .extending-lower leg Il is concave when viewed rearwardly for the purpose o f-increasing the finger receiving space and. to betterconform to the convex contour of theV finger tips. It will be readily apparent that the downwardly extending legs I'I or I TI may be of` further curvilinear or angular deformation, ,although generally extending downwardly and forwardly. j e Y The tray front I5 is provided `with a .recess or surface depressed area 2.4 intermediate thev length thereof, andwith the shallow tray front illustrated, lthe 'depression or cut-.out extends throughout the ldepth ofthe drawer, lthat is, from the upper to the lower `longitudinal defining edges. Adjacent thejtopof the depressed surface area 24 and extending longitudinally thereof isA arfor. wardly projecting ledge-'likeportionZ the for ward portion of the ledge terminating inwardly ofthe facevof `the tray.

The kunitary label holder and drawer pull is secured to the ledge 2,5,bymeans of a ,pluralitypfr screws 23 'extending' through the leg Isfofthe For further convenience in insertion of Y unit'l in a manner whereby the leg IS extends vertically and lies against the forward face of the ledge 25, the lower leg I I projecting downwardly and forwardly, lying wholly within the recessed portion of the tray front and in spaced relation to the bottom of the tray front. It; is thus apparent that the downwardly extending and forwardly inclined leg Il (or leg I'I) provides a drawer pull by means of which'the drawer lmay be manipulated by inserting the fingers .within the recessed front of the tray and beneath 'the downwardly extending drawer pull portion.

It will -be apparent from the foregoing that I have .provided a compact, and improved combination drawer pull and label holder unit which in further combination with the front of a drawer lor tray in the novel manner shown and described results in the attendant advantages hereinbefore set forth and others which will be readily apparent.

Iclaimas my invention:

1. In a drawer having a recessed front wall-portion, a forwardly projecting ledge within said recess yadjacent the top thereof and aunitary label holder and drawer pull device mounted within said recess, the upper edge portion of said device VYbeing vsecured to the forward face of said ledge yand the lower edge portion depending freely therefrom to permit nger ingress.

A2. A drawer having a front formed with a downwardly stepped .recess to provide a pair of parallel vertically extending spaced surfaces and a unitary label holder `and drawer pull device mounted wholly within said recess, an upper edge portion of .saiddevice being secured to the forward one of said surfaces and a lower edge portion of .said device depending freely therefrom in spaced relation to the rearward .one of said surfaces .and tothe .lower defining edge of .the latter .to provide a finger receiving pull portion.

.3.In `a drawer front having a recessed front wall portion, aforwardly projecting ledge within said recess adjacent the top thereof and a unitary label holder and drawer pull device vmounted within said recess comprising a vertically extending upper leg secured to the forward face of said ledge and a downwardly and forwardly inclined leg providing a finger pull portion depending freely therefrom and terminating in spaced relation 4to the bottom of the recess.

^ ing upper leg secured to the forward face of said ledge and a downwardly and forwardly inclined leg providing a finger pull portion depending freely therefrom and Aterminating in spaced relation to the bottom of the recess, the upper and lower edges of said device being forwardly return bent to provide a pair of opposed fianges for the angular retention of a label therebetween.

5. A drawer having a recessed front wall surface area, a horizontally extending forwardly projecting ledge within said recess adjacent thev top thereof and a` unitary label holder and' drawer pull device wholly contained within the resulting recess, the said unitary device comprising a substantially straight vertically extending upper leg secured to the forward face of pull portion, the longitudinal defining edges of said unit being formed with forwardly inturned fianges for the retention of a label therebetween.

6. A drawer the front wall thereof being formed with a recess to provide a recessed surface area, said recessed surface area comprising a forwardly projecting ledge extending longitudinally adjacent the top thereof and terminating inwardly of the drawer front surface, and a unitary label holder and drawer pull device com prising a vertically extending portion secured to the forward face of said ledge and a downwardly extending portion extending freely therefrom and in spaced relation to the lower recessed surface and the base of the recess to provide a finger receiving drawer pull, the opposed longitudinal edges of said device being formed with inturned flanges for the retention of a label therebetween.

'7. A drawer having a recessed front wall surface area, a forwardly projecting ledge extending from said recessed wall adjacent the top of the surface area thereof and terminating inwardly of the drawer front surface, and a unitary label holder and drawer pull device wholly contained Within the resulting recess, the said unitary device comprising a substantially straight vertically extending leg secured to the forward face of said projecting ledge and a downwardly and forwardly inclined leg in spaced relation to the recessed surface area and the base of the recess providing a nger receiving pull portion, the longitudinal dening. edges of said unit being formed with internal anges for the retention of a label therebetween.

8. A tray of the class described the front wall thereof being provided with a recess extending intermediate the width thereof and throughout the depth thereof to provide a recessed surface area, said recessed surface area comprising a forwardly projecting ledge extending longitudinally adjacent the top thereof and terminating inwardly of the drawer front surface, and a untary label holder and drawer pull device comprising a vertically extending portion secured to the forward face of said ledge and a downwardly extending portion extending freely therefrom and in spaced relation to the lower recessed surface and the base of the recess to provide a finger receiving drawer pull, the opposed longitudinal edges of said device being formed with inturned flanges for the retention of a label therebetween.

9. A relatively shallow tray of the class described, the front wall thereof being formed with a recess to provide a recessed surface area extending intermediate the width and throughout the depth thereof, said recessed surface having a forwardly projecting ledge extending'longitudinally adjacent the top thereof, and a unitary label holder and drawer pull device wholly contained within the recess, said device comprising a strip of sheet material deformed longitudinally to provide a substantially straight leg, a leg extending angularly therefrom and inturned longitudinal edges to provide iianges for the reception of a label, said straight leg being secured to the front face of said ledge and said angularly extending leg extending downwardly and being inclined forwardly in spaced relation to the lowermost recessed wall area and the base of the tray front to provide a finger receiving drawer pull. MARCHAND B. HALL. 

